CHIC fueled fashion business in Shanghai and Shenzhen

• CHIC Shanghai successfully completed under high safety and hygiene conditions
  

• The trend hotspot for the Chinese sales market: Lively interest of more than 20,000 trade visitors in the new collections of the 487 brands at the NECC in Shanghai
  

• Sustainability in great demand in all areas
  

• CHIC Shenzhen focuses on trading in the strong sales region of ?South China and the international clusters Hong Kong and Macao: Date postponed from November to December due to current Covid-19 cases in China
  

Maximum compliance with the security measures determined the course: the visitors were only admitted with pre-registration and against presentation of vaccination certificates and an additional negative PCR test. Against this background the exhibitors welcomed more than 20,000 trade visitors and reported cheerful orders. 

“The safety and health of all our participants is the most important thing for us. For this reason, we have of course implemented the regulations for the PCR testing of all visitors, exhibitors and organizers requested by the hall operator at short notice. The acceptance of these measures was respected by all participants and we are pleased that we were able to welcome so many trade visitors to CHIC despite this challenge. It was obvious that this time the visitors were even better prepared and came with a clear intention of reaching final business deals. The fashion business has continued to develop since last year and designer fashion, including sustainable productions, is in particular demand” said Chen Dapeng, President of China National Garment Association and CHIC. 

Targeted Order and Focus on Business

The 487 exhibitors were also satisfied with the business activity and reported successful orders.

Guangzhou Guifan Leather Industry reports on three busy fair days: “All days of the fair were very successful. We were in contact with over 70 customers and met both retail and brand customers, such as AJIDOU, Zara, Septwolves and also international customers from the Philippines and Italy, among others. Despite the noticeable effects of the pandemic, the quality of the visitors and the willingness to close a deal was very high this time."

The ordering activities are characterized by high quality standards. The young design label NAIQAUH reports a 200% increase in order volume and 3,000 planned orders. The brand used the fair to meet old customers again and to further expand their customer network through CHIC's broad- based matchmaking. In total, they were in contact with over 90 customers. 

Hatters' Hub, trend brand for hats and headgear, recorded over 100 contacts from all retail channels including e-commerce; successful deals were concluded and further post-fair orders were announced.

The fair visitors were also satisfied despite the demanding hygiene measures. The focus was particularly on sustainability, designer collections and the positive development of the Chinese fashion market. Despite international restrictions, international visitors from France, Italy, the Philippines, Spain, the USA etc. were on site.

“This year, environmental protection and sustainable production are even more of a focus of our visit. As a fashion brand for the young consumer group, it is essential to integrate progressive concepts and promote green consumption”, says Wang Xiaowei from Soulgoods.

Perfect presentation platform: the CHIC Matching area

The expanded matchmaking events at CHIC were also enthusiastically received. The Italian Zeus Group was networked with over a dozen individually selected exhibitors and was able to find a suitable partner directly. In total, over 37 matchmaking events took place in the specially set up matching area consisting of several presentation platforms and private negotiation rooms at the fair. From company presentations by industry giants such as Shein, through trade fair tours to selected one-on- one discussions, CHIC brought exhibitors and visitors together in a targeted manner. More than 600 participants have been matched by this CHIC event. Among them visitors such as Shein, Walmart, Wang Yi Yan Xuan, Tiktok, BAILIAN GROUP, LIQUN etc, parts of the organizer's broad network.

Continuing growth: sustainable productions

Sustainability is one of the most important consumer trends in China. The pandemic has brought ecological issues even more to the fore; consumers are looking for natural, comfortable and healthy products. Sustainability continues to gain in importance, especially for young GenZ and millennial consumers. CHIC played the theme in all exhibition areas; from womenswear, kidswear and menswear to accessories, sustainable collections were represented in all segments.

Natural materials like cotton, linen, wool, and silk are very popular compared to synthetic materials. In the accessories area, further interesting materials were to be found, such as straw, raffia and textiles made from coffee grounds, pineapple fibers, etc. in hat ornaments, bags and shoes. Soles made with rubber foam technology are non-toxic and environmentally friendly. Selected, degradable and sustainable leather with an animal welfare guarantee was also one of the popular materials for bags, shoes, gloves, hats, etc.

Recycling is another trend: JCJ Jewelry delighted with pieces of jewelry made from reused, redesigned metals and man-made stones. Quality upgrade and timeless design are also an option for extending the lifespan of fashion. Accessories are becoming even more important in order to adapt long-lasting outfits to different occasions and trends.

Design talent and traditional styles

In the IMPULSES area, innovative designer brands showed inspiring trends, high-quality collections and fashion variety like Kmusso, MIJA or Yu Jian Tian with its new design collection made by natural materials such as mulberry silk and wool, presenting the unique traditional Chinese style.

The shoe brand Soyuke from Japan showed extreme platform boots with lacquer details, color blocking and strong 90s echoes. Allusions to mountain hikes can also be found in the steep shoe models.

The Hanfu trend towards traditional clothing has found its way out of the niche and is not only becoming more and more visible in the everyday

cityscape. Exhibitors like Feinix or Rongchen presented traditional styles with a modern touch, elegant designs and classic cuts like the typical cheongsam dress. Symbols such as cranes and dragons can be found on urban bomber jackets as well as on delicate handbags and cool puffer jackets. The tie-dye trend has also reached downwear. The trend jackets from Zhong Fu Hui Jia are adorned with pastel tie-dye patterns, as well as bright green and purple.

Qingdao Shengyaqi showed innovative ideas for high-quality lingerie that incorporates technology and science with temperature-regulating and antibacterial functions and the use of cashmere proteins.

CHIC Shanghai presented the entire range of the fashion business in a total of 12 exhibition segments. This year's acclaimed visual concept, created by lava beijing, has been awarded the Bronze Award of the Hiiibrand Awards 2021 in the Identity category.

Digital tools and physical events

In addition to the on-site trade fair offer, CHIC is expanding its reach through the consistent use of digital tools. The CHIC app combines all the functions needed for a successful trade fair participation, from the digital trade fair catalog and matchmaking to direct appointments and live chats for all participants who cannot be on site. The CHIC app alone recorded almost 42,000 registered users and more than 600,000 clicks.

CHIC uses all important Chinese social media channels, especially the Chinese all-round tool WeChat, and also networks the latest retail trends such as live ecommerce with live streamers and CHIC TV on site.

With CHIC TALK, CHIC offered an expert forum for current topics in the industry. The talk on "Interest E-Commerce Facilitates New Opportunities For The Fashion Industry", initiated by Douyin (TikTok), was particularly popular with visitors.

Next: Shenzhen links Southern China, Hong Kong and Macau

CHIC Shenzhen offers the opportunity to develop the important markets in southern China and the international hubs in Hong Kong and Macau. The event planned for November 3-5, 2021 at the Shenzhen World Exhibition and Convention Center will be postponed to December due to the current Covid-19 cases in China. 

Around 150 exhibitors will present themselves to the audience in the south and offer another opportunity for networking and the development and expansion of business in China. The CHIC online event, CHIC ORDERING FESTIVAL, with extended online tools for even more efficient networking of business partners, will take place parallel to CHIC Shenzhen.

The next event in Shanghai will take place from March 9-11, 2022.

Next Dates:

CHIC Shenzhen | December (to be announced), 2021 | Shenzhen

CHIC March 22 | March 9-11, 2022 | Shanghai